NYC duo MS MR came to Minneapolis “for the first time as a band and as people” ...and ‘rocked it like a ‘Hurricane’. ‘Hurricane’, of course, refers to their infectious single of the same name…

The inaugural Go Fest at the Target Field last Friday. We were already impressed with their first ever Go Show #1 earlier in March 2015, but was absolutely blown away at the size and scale and production of Go Fest '15.

The festival took place in the new baseball open field. Only portions of the stadium seats (no access to the green) were opened to view the concert stage. There was a small standing-only section in the front for VIP access... which Go Radio was more than generous in giving away upgrade passes to fans who showed up early.

Prices ranged from $9.63 to $96.30, which I think was a great price for these bands. Even if they lost a ton of money, it was money well spent for promotion of the new radio station, Go 96.3 FM.

There was a lot of planning and thought involved in orchestrating this music festival... but not everything was set in stone. For example local band Enemy Planes was added last minute (the day of) as first band on the bill with a brief twenty-minute set, and MS MR was switched with Big Data. Otherwise Allan Kingdom (who we previously saw with thestand4rd at Rock the Garden) went on as planned at 4:30.

In between bands RAC (André Allen Anjos) played his DJ sets.

Meg Myers

The first non-local band to play was Los Angeles, by the way of Tennessee, Meg Myers, who we previously saw with Royal Blood at Mill City Nights in 2014.
Like her last appearance, she is accompanied by her four-piece band (including a cellist), and she sang dark and delicate songs about relationship and desires.

While we liked her songs, unfortunately most people will likely remember that she was literally played off the stage when she started playing her closing song "Heart Heart Head". Everyone was operating under a very tight schedule, so we were not surprised that they cut off her mic.

Big Data

New York's Big Data was up next. The band was previously in town at the Fine Line Music Café earlier in March 2015. This music project is lead by Alan Wilkis, who teamed up with a variety of artists for their 2.0 album (including guests White Sea, Joywave, Jamie Lidell, Kimbra, Rivers Cuomo, Jenn Wasner, Dragonette, Bear Hands, and Twin Shadow). When they play live, Wilkis had plenty of vocal help from singer Lizy Ryan.

Their set had bookend pre-recorded robotic announcements, and they played it safe by covering Hall & Oates' "Private Eyes" and ending it with their most popular song, "Dangerous"... which is a really catchy song.

MS MR

We've been covering MS MR since 2012, and was happy to be there for them on their first ever Minneapolis appearance in 2013.

The duo Lizzy Plapinger (MS) and Max Hershenow (MR) was happy to announce that they have released a second album How Does It Feel (Columbia Records), which incidentally landed at #1 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart. Their new single, "Painted" sounded great live and you can easily see why the song is showing strong support on Top 30 Alternative radio.

They ended their set with their first single "Hurricane", which they kindly note that if you wanted to hear more from them, that they'll be back in Minneapolis at the Varsity Theater on October 15th. Immediately the couple next to me said they'll buy tickets to see them again.

Yelawolf

Based on the biker leather jackets, the tattoos, and hip-hop/rap sound of Yelawolf... they surely stuck out like a sore thumb. Despite being the odd band out, they definitely had their dedicated fans.

Apparently they did not play by the rules. They were slightly rude, spitting, spraying beer in the audience, lighting their setlist on fire and destroying a microphone, and giving the fingers to all the ladies in the audience. After hearing them talk about how they love the south, Hank Williams, and the confederate flag (which is a hot button at the moment), you get the feeling they do and say whatever the f*** they want and they don't care what you think.

After playing "Heartbreak" per request from a fan and ending their set with "American Youth", the band pulled out an autographed baseball and threw it into the audience.

By the time CWK took the stage on their first ever baseball field show, it had gotten dark, but the stage direction kept the band in bare minimal lighting (dark blues and dimmed reds).

Songs on their set featured some new songs from their latest Hold My Home ("All This Could Be Yours",
"Hot Coals", "Drive Desperate", and "First"), but throwing in fan favorite "Hang Me Up to Dry".

The first time I read about Matt & Kim, they had opened up for Weezer in New York in 2009 and again in 2010. They were described as "dance party", and it wasn't until I saw them in person in Minneapolis in 2012 that I absolutely believed it. Of all the shows I saw in 2012, that one stood out as easily one of my highlight. We've seen them again at Rock the Garden in 2014, and a couple of things you should know about this party band: 1. Kim does this walking on people bit, 2. They go from zero to one hundred percent, 3. They have potty mouths (esp Kim), 4. Plenty of confetti, and 5. Just have a good time. Don't over analyze their songs or question their singing abilities, you're missing the point if you do.

Matt & Kim

I had a lot of fun, and I think the audience did too. Some new gimmick they did tried for this show was getting everyone to blow up balloons and then tossing them up in the air. They also brought out a parachute and had people holding it up (wasn't quite sure this one worked as well as they intended).

The various snippets of DMX's "Party Up", Beastie Boys' "No Sleep 'Till Brooklyn", Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It", went over really well with the crowd, who seemed to know the material. The introduction to "Ignition (Remix)" was pretty funny, Matt explained, "R Kelly was supposed to play Arizona, but he didn't because he wasn't going to get paid... So if R. Kelly won't play R. Kelly songs, Matt and Kim will play R. Kelly songs!"

Seeing as there was only a few minutes until closing time of 11:30, I was surprised to see that the band came back for a quick encore at the eleventh hour. At first with a prerecorded T.I.'s "Bring Em Out" and then they covered Biz Markie's "Just a Friend", which got the crowd singing along. Their finale "It's Alright" ended their set with a couple of audience body surfing with plenty of beach balls that was released by the stage hand.

Go Fest '15 was an experience. They're already talking about doing another one (before the end of the year???), and honestly I can't wait to see how they are going to top this show.
Given that the event was nearly 8 hours long, I think perhaps next time, they can have the Go Fest to fall on a Saturday (when most normal people don't have work or school).

NYC duo MS MR came to Minneapolis “for the first time as a band and as people” ...and ‘rocked it like a ‘Hurricane’. ‘Hurricane’, of course, refers to their infectious single of the same name…

The inaugural Go Fest at the Target Field last Friday. We were already impressed with their first ever Go Show #1 earlier in March 2015, but was absolutely blown away at the size and scale and production of Go Fest '15.

The festival took place in the new baseball open field. Only portions of the stadium seats (no access to the green) were opened to view the concert stage. There was a small standing-only section in the front for VIP access... which Go Radio was more than generous in giving away upgrade passes to fans who showed up early.

Prices ranged from $9.63 to $96.30, which I think was a great price for these bands. Even if they lost a ton of money, it was money well spent for promotion of the new radio station, Go 96.3 FM.

There was a lot of planning and thought involved in orchestrating this music festival... but not everything was set in stone. For example local band Enemy Planes was added last minute (the day of) as first band on the bill with a brief twenty-minute set, and MS MR was switched with Big Data. Otherwise Allan Kingdom (who we previously saw with thestand4rd at Rock the Garden) went on as planned at 4:30.

In between bands RAC (André Allen Anjos) played his DJ sets.

Meg Myers

The first non-local band to play was Los Angeles, by the way of Tennessee, Meg Myers, who we previously saw with Royal Blood at Mill City Nights in 2014.
Like her last appearance, she is accompanied by her four-piece band (including a cellist), and she sang dark and delicate songs about relationship and desires.

While we liked her songs, unfortunately most people will likely remember that she was literally played off the stage when she started playing her closing song "Heart Heart Head". Everyone was operating under a very tight schedule, so we were not surprised that they cut off her mic.

Big Data

New York's Big Data was up next. The band was previously in town at the Fine Line Music Café earlier in March 2015. This music project is lead by Alan Wilkis, who teamed up with a variety of artists for their 2.0 album (including guests White Sea, Joywave, Jamie Lidell, Kimbra, Rivers Cuomo, Jenn Wasner, Dragonette, Bear Hands, and Twin Shadow). When they play live, Wilkis had plenty of vocal help from singer Lizy Ryan.

Their set had bookend pre-recorded robotic announcements, and they played it safe by covering Hall & Oates' "Private Eyes" and ending it with their most popular song, "Dangerous"... which is a really catchy song.

MS MR

We've been covering MS MR since 2012, and was happy to be there for them on their first ever Minneapolis appearance in 2013.

The duo Lizzy Plapinger (MS) and Max Hershenow (MR) was happy to announce that they have released a second album How Does It Feel (Columbia Records), which incidentally landed at #1 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart. Their new single, "Painted" sounded great live and you can easily see why the song is showing strong support on Top 30 Alternative radio.

They ended their set with their first single "Hurricane", which they kindly note that if you wanted to hear more from them, that they'll be back in Minneapolis at the Varsity Theater on October 15th. Immediately the couple next to me said they'll buy tickets to see them again.

Yelawolf

Based on the biker leather jackets, the tattoos, and hip-hop/rap sound of Yelawolf... they surely stuck out like a sore thumb. Despite being the odd band out, they definitely had their dedicated fans.

Apparently they did not play by the rules. They were slightly rude, spitting, spraying beer in the audience, lighting their setlist on fire and destroying a microphone, and giving the fingers to all the ladies in the audience. After hearing them talk about how they love the south, Hank Williams, and the confederate flag (which is a hot button at the moment), you get the feeling they do and say whatever the f*** they want and they don't care what you think.

After playing "Heartbreak" per request from a fan and ending their set with "American Youth", the band pulled out an autographed baseball and threw it into the audience.

By the time CWK took the stage on their first ever baseball field show, it had gotten dark, but the stage direction kept the band in bare minimal lighting (dark blues and dimmed reds).

Songs on their set featured some new songs from their latest Hold My Home ("All This Could Be Yours",
"Hot Coals", "Drive Desperate", and "First"), but throwing in fan favorite "Hang Me Up to Dry".

The first time I read about Matt & Kim, they had opened up for Weezer in New York in 2009 and again in 2010. They were described as "dance party", and it wasn't until I saw them in person in Minneapolis in 2012 that I absolutely believed it. Of all the shows I saw in 2012, that one stood out as easily one of my highlight. We've seen them again at Rock the Garden in 2014, and a couple of things you should know about this party band: 1. Kim does this walking on people bit, 2. They go from zero to one hundred percent, 3. They have potty mouths (esp Kim), 4. Plenty of confetti, and 5. Just have a good time. Don't over analyze their songs or question their singing abilities, you're missing the point if you do.

Matt & Kim

I had a lot of fun, and I think the audience did too. Some new gimmick they did tried for this show was getting everyone to blow up balloons and then tossing them up in the air. They also brought out a parachute and had people holding it up (wasn't quite sure this one worked as well as they intended).

The various snippets of DMX's "Party Up", Beastie Boys' "No Sleep 'Till Brooklyn", Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It", went over really well with the crowd, who seemed to know the material. The introduction to "Ignition (Remix)" was pretty funny, Matt explained, "R Kelly was supposed to play Arizona, but he didn't because he wasn't going to get paid... So if R. Kelly won't play R. Kelly songs, Matt and Kim will play R. Kelly songs!"

Seeing as there was only a few minutes until closing time of 11:30, I was surprised to see that the band came back for a quick encore at the eleventh hour. At first with a prerecorded T.I.'s "Bring Em Out" and then they covered Biz Markie's "Just a Friend", which got the crowd singing along. Their finale "It's Alright" ended their set with a couple of audience body surfing with plenty of beach balls that was released by the stage hand.

Go Fest '15 was an experience. They're already talking about doing another one (before the end of the year???), and honestly I can't wait to see how they are going to top this show.
Given that the event was nearly 8 hours long, I think perhaps next time, they can have the Go Fest to fall on a Saturday (when most normal people don't have work or school).